In general, Permalloy A (Fe-70˜80% Ni) (where % denotes mass %. The same is true in the following description) is known as a high-permeability soft magnetic material for ingot materials and sintering materials. However, when the material is heated and then is slowly cooled, the material forms a FeNi3 ordered phase and the crystal magnetic anisotropy constant K1 is negative with a large absolute value. It is known that the <111> direction is a direction of easy magnetization and the <100> direction is a direction of difficult magnetization when the crystal magnetic anisotropy constant K1 is negative, the <100> direction is a direction of easy magnetization and the <111> direction is a direction of difficult magnetization when the crystal magnetic anisotropy constant is positive, and the material is magnetically isotropic when the crystal magnetic anisotropy constant is 0. The magnetic anisotropy is generated due to the formation of the FeNi3 ordered phase, thereby decreasing permeability in usual polycrystalline substances in which crystal planes are not oriented but are isotropic in crystal orientation. In order to obtain high permeability in the material, it is necessary to quench the material after heating the material at a high temperature, or to perform an additional aging process thereafter. Accordingly, the material is hardly used industrially.
For this reason, there has been suggested an Fe—Ni—(Nb, V, Ta)-based alloy obtained by adding one kind or two or more kinds of Nb, V, and Ta in the range of 0.05 to 20 mass % in total to the permalloy. Fe—Ni—Mo-based alloys such as a Mo permalloy (Fe-79% Ni-4% Mo) and a supermalloy (Fe-79% Ni-5% Mo) in which Mo is added to the permalloy are also known. By the addition of (Nb, V, Ta) or the addition of Mo, the formation of the FeNi3 ordered phase is suppressed even when the materials are rapidly cooled after being heated, the crystal magnetic anisotropy constant K1 is approximately 0 more or less even when they are not rapidly cooled after being heated, and thus the materials exhibit high permeability in the polycrystalline substance isotropic in crystal orientation. Accordingly, such materials are widely used industrially.
High-permeability soft magnetic materials in which Cu, Cr, and Mn are added thereto to further enhance the permeability are known (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 9-168252; Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 7-252604; and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 1-298101 (JP '101)).
High-permeability soft magnetic materials in which Cu, Cr, and Mn are added in addition to Nb, V, and Ta to further enhance the permeability are also known.
Fe—Ni—Mo-based flat soft magnetic metal powders which are obtained by flattening powders having the same composition are also known.
For example, a flat soft magnetic metal powder having a composition of Fe-70˜83% Ni-2˜6% Mo-3˜6% Cu-1˜2% Mn and having an average grain size in the range of 0.1 to 30 μm and an average thickness of 2 μm or less is known. It is known that the flat soft magnetic metal powder is used as a magnetic-card flat soft magnetic metal powder (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 3-223401).
A flat flake-shaped soft magnetic powder having a composition of Fe-40˜80% Ni-2˜6% Mo is also known. It is known that the flat flake-shaped soft magnetic powder is used as a magnetic-label soft magnetic powder (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 3-232574).
A flat soft magnetic metal powder having a composition of Fe-60˜80% Ni or Fe-60˜80% Ni-5% (or less) Mo is also known. It is known that the flat soft magnetic metal powder is used as a high-frequency magnetic core (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 4-78112).
It is known that the above-mentioned Fe—Ni—(Nb, V, Ta)-based or Fe—Ni—Mo-based flat soft magnetic metal powders can further enhance magnetic characteristics such as permeability in the flat faces of the powders by flattening the Fe—Ni—(Nb, V, Ta)-based or Fe—Ni—Mo-based powders, which are obtained by general pulverization or atomization, into a flat shape and revealing shape magnetic anisotropy by a demagnetizing field to use the flat face as a face of easy magnetization.
The known Fe—Ni—(Nb, V, Ta)-based or Fe—Ni—Mo-based flat soft magnetic metal powders are produced by adding ethanol or water as a solvent to the Fe—Ni—(Nb, V, Ta)-based or Fe—Ni—Mo-based soft magnetic powders which are obtained by general pulverization or atomization, adding a pulverizing agent thereto if necessary, and flattening the mixture by the use of an attritor or a ball mill.
The Fe—Ni—(Nb, V, Ta)-based and Fe—Ni—Mo-based flat soft magnetic metal powders produced in the above-mentioned manner are dispersed in a resin so that the flat surfaces are oriented, thereby producing a composite magnetic material. When the composite magnetic material is a composite magnetic sheet, the flat surfaces of the Fe—Ni—(Nb, V, Ta)-based and Fe—Ni—Mo-based flat soft magnetic metal powders are oriented in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the composite magnetic sheet (see JP '101).